Max Verstappen never stops. It always happens the same way: as soon as Formula 1 takes a break, the Dutchman still finds a way to do what he clearly enjoys the most, which is racing.
After his achievement at Monza, Max Verstappen is ready for a new challenge away from Formula 1 on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. According to Auto Motor und Sport, the Dutch superstar will take part in two rounds of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS): the seventh race (ADAC-ACAS Cup) and the eighth round (64th ADAC Reinoldus Endurance Race), both lasting four hours. In doing so, he will turn into reality the plans announced a few months ago after his record lap in a private, non-official session with the Ferrari 296 GT3 on the legendary German circuit.
Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, confirmed Verstappen’s commitment to the Nürburgring, and the Dutch driver also received contractual approval from Red Bull. However, before getting behind the wheel of the Ferrari GT3 at the Nürburgring, Verstappen will need to comply with the rules of the DMSB, the German Motorsport Federation. On Friday, September 12, the four-time Formula 1 World Champion will return to rookie status and is expected to attend a theoretical course with a final exam in order to obtain Permit B, which is a mandatory step to receive the so-called “Nordschleife license”. On Saturday, September 13, he will not yet be allowed to drive the Ferrari 296 GT3, but will instead take to the track with a less powerful car, almost certainly a Porsche Cayman GT4 CS run by the Lionspeed GP team. This is the same car already used by other drivers from his Verstappen.com stable, such as Chris Lulhalm and Thierry Vermeulen, to complete the qualification program.
A shortcut to the DPN A license
The road to a GT3 debut still has a shortcut. Because Verstappen is classified as a “Platinum” driver, he can secure the required license (Permit A) within just a single weekend, provided he completes 14 laps without penalties in two different cars. In this way, he could avoid a second Sunday outing and immediately move towards his target: officially racing at the Nürburgring with the Ferrari 296 GT3 of Emil Frey Racing.
For Verstappen, this would be his first real race commitment on the Nordschleife with a GT3, a chance to attempt to repeat his unofficial lap record. In competition, however, the Balance of Performance regulations will apply, designed to equalize the technical performance of the various cars. It will be a different and more authentic challenge, one that will truly measure the talent of the world champion outside the Formula 1 paddock.
Curiosity: this time Max will not be able to hide behind the pseudonym “Franz Hermann”, which he had used in the past. The official license is tied to his real name, and the NLS entry does not allow any disguise. This detail will make the media impact of the event even greater, as the endurance racing world eagerly awaits the arrival of the Formula 1 phenomenon.
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